/euh set"euh siz'euhm/ , n.
1. the manner of life, practices, or principles of an ascetic.
2. the doctrine that a person can attain a high spiritual and moral state by practicing self-denial, self-mortification, and the like.
3. rigorous self-denial; extreme abstinence; austerity.
[ 1640-50; ASCETIC + -ISM ]